Gordon the Role Model
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Trouble arises when Philip copies Gordon's actions.


One morning, Gordon was on a siding at Knapford Yards, resting his eyes before taking the Express.

"Hi Gordon!"

Gordon opened a sleepy eye to find it was Philip smiling at him.

The big engine groaned in disgust.

"What do _you_ want, you silly boxcab?"

Philip wasn't expecting Gordon to be upset, so he felt a bit flustered.

"Oh, uh... Sorry, Gordon. I thought you'd be happy to see me," he said, a bit dejected.

"And just why would I be happy to see _you_? All you do is wake me up!" Gordon grunted indignantly.

Philip winced.

"Oh... I felt sort of bad about that actually, so I decided to make it up to you!"

Gordon squinted, a bit worried as to what Philip had intended to do.

"How did you decide to do that...?"

"Well, it's pretty simple actually! I shunted your coaches for you! They're already at the platform for you to collect! No shunting required! He he, you proud of me?"

Gordon was very surprised; he thought that that morning would be a major annoyance, but things seemed to be turning around.

"You... you did that?"

"Of course! Anything for you, Gordon! See you later!"

Philip grinned and scurried away.

Gordon blinked, a bit confused as to why Philip did that for him.

"Huh...?"

Henry giggled as he steamed alongside the big engine.

Gordon glared at him, unamused.

"What are you giggling about, Henry?"

"I think it's pretty clear why, Gordon. Philip's found himself a role model!" Henry replied, grinning.

"You mean _me_?"

Gordon shivered at the thought; he had heard about other engines who were role models, and what he had heard wasn't very positive.

"Oh no..."

"That's not a bad thing, you know," said Henry, "It means you can teach him how to act by being a good example."

Gordon grunted; he wasn't too interested in doing such a thing... yet he couldn't deny he felt pride in the fact that Philip looked up to him.

"What do I have to do exactly?"

"You don't have to do anything," Henry replied, "Just act, and he'll probably copy you."

"I'll think about it," the express engine said flatly as he started towards the station.

Henry couldn't help but smirk.

"He'll soon enjoy it..."

Meanwhile, Philip was rushing through the yard, as happy as he could be.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Weeeeee!"

Philip raced by Diesel, who was collecting some diesel parts.

Diesel was surprised.

"Watch what you're doing, you stupid box!" he scowled.

Philip was in too much of a good mood to pay attention to Diesel, though.

"Woo hoo! This is fun!"

However, before Philip could say anything else, he suddenly biffed into some trucks, who biffed into Edward.

Edward jerked forward and looked behind him in surprise.

"Oh! What was that?"

"Was that you, Edward? Oops, sorry! Didn't mean to! Was just trying to go fast, like Gordon!" Philip squeaked.

"Well, perhaps the yard isn't the best place to do that," replied Edward gravely, "That kind of behavior causes accidents, and it'd be a bad thing if our station pilot needed repairs."

"I'll keep that in mind, Edward! Bye!"

Philip rushed away to shunt more trucks, still muttering "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" to himeslf.

Edward frowned, noticing that Philip had at least somewhat been trying to copy Gordon.

The implications of that made the blue engine quite worried indeed.

"Oh no..."

Meanwhile, at the station, Gordon was backing down onto his coaches.

He had thought about what Henry had said, and the more he thought about it, the more he liked the sound of it

"Hmm... I suppose it is nice to have someone look up to you," he said, "I've never really been a role model before... Perhaps I can teach that boxcab about things."

"You're Philip's role model? _You_?" chuckled Duck as he puffed alongside the express engine.

Gordon felt rather insulted as he glared at the Pannier tank.

"Huh! What's that supposed to mean? I can't be one?"

"Well, uh..."

"I am just as capable of anyone else, Duck. I was here long before you were."

"Perhaps so, but-"

"I mean, I am pretty worthy of being one, if I do say so myself."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, Duck. He has a perfect example."

"Perfect example?" Duck deadpanned.

"Indeed. I am the fastest and best after all!"

Duck frowned, concerned about how Gordon would go about being a role model.

"Well, erm... How exactly do I put it... You're not really wise, you're egotistical, and you're not really a good influence..."

Gordon was furious at this.

"Bad influence, eh? Huh!"

"Well, I'm just saying, Gordon. The last engine who looked up to you was... Uh... I don't think anyone has before."

"So what? There's a first time for everything, Montague. I can be a good role model, and you can be wrong. Good day!"

Gordon rushed away with the Express.

Duck sighed.

"And there's also a chance it'll go exactly how I expect it to..."

Later, Philip was shunting some trucks of stone when he noticed Gordon coming back with his train.

He was quite excited about this, and decided to watch how he acted.

Dennis was sleeping at the platform as Gordon came to a halt.

The express engine glared at the lazy diesel.

"Dennis! Wake up, you stupid diesel! I need someone to take my coaches back to the yard!"

Dennis yawned and opened a sleepy eye.

"Go away, will you? I was in the middle of a nice dream..."

Gordon blew his whistle, fully waking up the Bulleid diesel.

"I said shunt my coaches!"

Dennis' eyes widened and he yawned again.

"Alright, alright... fine... Keep your buffers on, will you? I just need to wake up..."

"Good. I figured I would remind you of your place, considering you're only a small shunter."

Dennis rolled his eyes as he was coupled up to the coaches.

"Yes, yes... I got that... I'm a shunter, blah blah blah... I'm still tired though..."

"Well, get off your lazy wheels and maybe you'll be useful for once," Gordon grunted as he puffed away.

Dennis scoffed.

"Galloping sausage..."

Philip grinned.

"Oh boy! That sure sounded like an interesting conversation! I should try that!"

He looked across the yard to find Diesel shunting together a train for himself to take to Maron.

"Oh, hi stupid diesel!" Philip said.

Diesel looked back and growled.

He reversed until he was alongside the boxcab.

"What did you just call me?" he said slowly.

"Uh... stupid?"

"I... am **not** stupid! I'm much smarter than you'll ever be! For the record, I was the first diesel on Sodor!"

"That doesn't explain why you're so lazy," Philip said, "Maybe you should start moving and be useful for once!"

Diesel gritted his teeth.

"If I were you, I'd keep your mouth shut..."

Philip giggled and rolled away to get back to shunting.

Diesel growled.

"That nuisance is only getting more and more annoying every day..."

The next morning, Gordon slowly puffed into the station, expecting there to be no coaches at the platfrom.

He knew the routine by now; he'd have to yell for one of the shunters to collect his coaches from the shed and-

"Here are your coaches, Gordon!"

Gordon looked back to find Philip bringing his coaches to the platform.

"Well, isn't this nice? I don't have to tell for once of those other engines to get my coaches. Thank you, Philip," he said sincerely.

"It's no problem, Gordon," said the boxcab as he rushed beside him.

At last, the passengers were all aboard and the guard blew his whistle.

Gordon blew his own and started puffing out of the station.

"Express coming through!" Gordon grinned.

"Boxcab coming through!" Philip yelled back as he began to get back to the yard.

Gordon smiled as he approached Knapford Junction.

However, he didn't notice Neville blowing his whistle with fright.

"Gordon, look out!"

Gordon looked ahead, and immediately gasped in horror.

"Neville?! What are you doing?!"

"I'm a runaway! I can't stooop!"

Gordon applied his brakes quickly, just in time.

Neville raced past him on the points, and flew into Track 3.

He hit the buffers with a bang, making Philip wince.

"Phew! That was close!" Neville panted as he started to recover.

The points were changed back for Gordon, who was furious.

"Idiot!" Gordon thundered, "Shouldn't you know how to handle trucks by now?"

"I-I'm sorry, Gordon," Neville stuttered, "But they were pushing me."

"Huh! I don't have time for this. Now I have to make up for lost time!"

Gordon whistled again and thundered away.

Philip had seen all of this and slowly traveled back to the yard.

Soon, he was back to work.

He was about to biff into some trucks, when he noticed Molly getting a drink at the water tower.

Philip raced up alongside her and honked his horn, startling her.

"Oh! Uh, hello Philip," she said.

The boxcab tried to look intimidating like Gordon could be.

"You're an idiot! You should know how to handle things by now!" Philip said, trying to make his voice sound deeper.

Molly was stunned; she had never heard Philip talk like this before.

"I... what?"

"You heard me! I don't even understand what you're doing! You should be doing something that isn't being lazy!"

Molly whistled loudly and raced away, not bearing to hear the boxcab any longer.

"Huh... Gordon didn't have that happen. I wonder what I did wrong."

At the Coaling Plant, Emily was arranging some trucks for her next train when Molly's sad whistle blew.

Emily looked back in confusion as Molly slowly chuffed into the yard.

"Molly? What happened?" the Stirling Single asked quietly as the yellow tender engine came to a halt beside her.

Molly was almost in tears as she glanced at her friend.

"I... Emily, a-am I an i-idiot?"

Emily's jaw dropped.

"Why on earth would you ask such a question, Molly? You're not an idiot at all! You're rather smart, actually!"

"B-but... Philip said I w-wasn't..."

Emily rose an eyebrow.

"Philip did...?"

"I-I know. I-I was r-rather c-confused as well..." Molly sniffed.

"Don't listen to what he said," Emily said firmly, "You did nothing wrong. He was probably just in a bad mood."

"I-if you s-say so..."

Emily smiled weakly at Molly, who seemed to be feeling a bit better.

"I'm going to go with my train of coal to Knapford now. Can you manage things while I'm gone?"

"I-I think so... I-I mean... Um... yes... If you don't mind."

Emily whistled and puffed out of the Coaling Plant.

As she puffed along the line, she couldn't help but try to make sense of what Molly had told her.

"It's like if Edward snapped at someone. It never happens! At least, it shouldn't happen..."

She thought for a few minutes, and finally came to a conclusion.

"Gordon!"

Emily picked up speed and raced away.

At Knapford Station, Gordon wasn't in as a bad of a mood as he was before.

"Finally, my day's going right. Philip shunted my coaches, the passengers are getting onboard, and nothing is going wrong!"

Just then, Emily puffed up, red in the face and panting heavily.

Gordon rose his brow.

"What's with you, Emily? You look rather tired."

"I had to hurry... or I would've missed your evening express run."

"Oh. Did you come to say hello? Well, that's quite-"

"No, I didn't! Gordon, I think you really should think about the way you act for once."

"What are you talking about?" Gordon asked dismissively.

"Well, Philip is acting... a lot like you, and-"

"I don't see what's so bad about that. I personally think it's a good thing, honestly."

"But-"

Gordon's guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag.

The express engine glanced at Emily as he started leaving the station.

"You just worry too much, little Emily! I'm sure everything's just fine!"

Emily only rolled her eyes.

That night, at Tidmouth Sheds, some of the other engines were already there.

They all stopped talking and looked ahead to find Emily backing into a berth.

"Hello Emily," chorused the engines.

Emily sighed with exasperation as she came to a halt.

"Hi everyone..."

Henry noticed her defeated tone and frowned.

"What's the matter, Emily?" the green engine asked.

"Oh, I had a chat with Molly earlier... Apparently Philip made her upset..."

"How so?"

"Well, Molly said Philip called her an idiot..."

All the engines, barring Edward, gasped in horror.

"That's terrible!" cried Henry, "it's... uh... James, help me out here."

"...disgusting!"

"And despicable!" finished Henry.

"I don't understand though," Duck said, "Philip's so nice and innocent."

"I think I have an explanation," Emily interrupted.

"As always..."

Emily glared at Henry and continued.

"From what Molly described to me, his behavior is suspiciously similar to Gordon's, so I think I can understand how this unraveled."

"So I was right!" Duck huffed, "Gordon isn't a good influence! I tried to tell him, but he just didn't listen!"

"I have to agree," James added, "I know I'm not the most humble engine, but he's making me look like a saint! While you were out on your journey, Emily, Philip boasted and grumbled to me too!"

"I'd let it go easier if he didn't make Molly tear up," Emily fumed, "That's just not right!"

"If I were her, I'd snap back at him and teach him a lesson that boxcab will never forget!"

"I wouldn't entirely blame Philip, James," Edward piped up.

"Why not?!"

"I don't think he realizes what he's doing is wrong," explained the wise engine, "Remember that he's a lot like a child, and he looks up to Gordon as a role model. I'm pretty sure that he thinks what he's doing is morally correct because Gordon does it."

"I tried talking to Gordon already, and he completely dismissed me!" Emily added, "He acts as if it's a good thing!"

"I think I know the reason for that, too," Edward said grimly, "Gordon probably doesn't know how pompous and egotistical he can be sometimes, and I don't think he realizes it's rubbing off onto Philip."

"So... what do we do then?" Henry asked.

"I know what to do," Edward said, "I think Gordon's reloading on water at the water tower, so I can have a chat with him now."

"Please do," Emily said, "I feel really bad for Molly. She didn't deserve that."

Edward whistled and slowly puffed onto the turntable.

Then he puffed away.

It turned out that Edward was right; Gordon's tanks were being filled with water.

"Ah, reloading my water for the morning. Clever me for thinking this up," he said to himself.

A workman rolled his eyes as he continued his work.

Edward's whistle pierced Gordon's thoughts as he puffed alongside the big engine.

"Gordon, we need to talk. Now," he said sternly.

Gordon rose an eyebrow; he wasn't sure why Edward seemed so cross.

"Well, erm, if you want to, Edward, of course. What about?"

"It's Philip. I think Duck was right about you being a bad influence."

Gordon was shocked, and rather insulted.

"Rubbish! I can understand Duck, and to an extent, Emily, saying that but you, Edward! You know better!"

"You're right, I do know better. I know better about being a good influence."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"I've taught many engines about how life works," Edward replied, "I've tried to set a good example, so they can become the best they can be. I don't want to say I'm always proud of them when they make mistakes, but I am always proud when they _learn_ from their mistakes."

"I'm exactly like you," Gordon said huffily, "I don't see how I'm a bad example. I'm at the very least a decent example!"

"Don't be so sure," Edward replied grimly, glancing at Philip.

"What's wrong? He's only rushing through the yard."

"Just watch..."

Whiff was reloading on coal at the hopper when Philip scurried alongside him.

"I'm fastest and best! Fastest and best! Fastest and best... uh... not really pulling the Express!" the boxcab sang.

"Philip, I don't think you're really all that fast," Whiff said matter-of-factually.

"You're just insecure about your speed, and that's why you must demean mine!" Philip cried angrily.

Whiff's eyes widened.

"Well, erm, not exactly Philip. I know the exact speed or you kind and uh... It's not that fast."

"Phew! What's that smell? Oh, it's you. Imagine that! The Fat Controller chose you to work at the Dump! He must have such a low opinion of you!"

Whiff wasn't sure what to say.

"I... guess I'll see you later then?"

He whistled and slowly puffed away.

Philip beamed.

"I'm sure that's exactly what Gordon would do! He he!"

The words fell on Gordon like bricks.

"No... It... Is that... Is that really how I act? All the time?"

"Well... uh..."

"It is, isn't it?"

Edward winced.

"...well, I suppose I can't beat around the bush. It is how you act sometimes."

"I... I... I never realized..."

Gordon felt like he was about to cry; seeing Philip act like him didn't feel so prideful now. Instead, it felt heartbreaking.

"I'm so sorry, Edward... I guess I'm not a good influence after all..."

"It's alright, Gordon... You've learned your mistake. That's the important thing right now..."

"I... How do I fix this?" the express engine asked desperately, "I can't let Philip act like that!"

"Well... There is something you can do," said Edward with a small smile.

"Like what?"

"I think it'd be best for you to talk to Philip about all of this. He needs to know what he's doing is wrong."

"I'll do that, Edward," Gordon agreed.

He whistled and slowly puffed to where Philip was resting.

Edward stayed where he was, in case he had to intervene.

"Oh! Hi Gordon!" Philip said excitedly as Gordon came to a halt, "What are you doing?"

"I... think it's time you and I had a chat..."

"I... Philip, I think it's time you and had a chat..."

"Oh? What about?"

Gordon winced as he tired to choose his words.

"Well... I haven't been a good influence on you... Not at all... I've been rude to engines and you copied those actions."

Philip rose an eyebrow.

"But... I thought you had good morals!"

"I... do, but... sometimes they're... *ahem* muddled."

"So... I shouldn't have acted like you when I talked to Molly or Whiff?" the boxcab asked, as guilt started to run through him.

"Yes, Philip... You shouldn't have... I'm sorry I wasn't a good role model. From now on, I'll try my best to be a better engine."

The express engine looked over at Edward, who was grinning.

Philip, however, felt terrible.

"Oh no! I better apologize to them immediately! Where are they?! I must find them!"

He was about to leave when Edward scuttled up up to him and Gordon.

"I think I can help with that..."

"Thank you, Edward! You do know a lot about things!"

Edward chuckled as Philip raced away.

He glanced at Gordon, who was watching Philip head to his shed.

"Are you going to keep to your pledge, Gordon?"

Gordon eyed his old friend and smiled.

"Yes, Edward. I am."

The next morning, Molly yawned as she slowly chuffed into the yard.

"What are we doing?" she asked quietly, "This isn't a surprise party, is it? I don't like surprises..."

"I don't think so," Whiff said, who was puffing alongside her, "Edward said something to me about Philip."

Molly's eyes widened.

"P-Philip?"

"That's what Edward said," replied the rubbish engine.

"I-is he g-going to be mean again...?"

"I don't know."

The two came to a halt and looked around, eventually spotting Philip.

The boxcab noticed the two engines and eagerly started towards them.

Molly was a little nervous, but tried to remain rational.

Philip came to a stop in front of the two engines.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for all that said," he said immediately.

Molly and Whiff exchanged a look.

"R-really?" the shy engine asked.

"Of course! You two are nice engines, and didn't deserve such mean comments. Molly, you're very smart and Whiff, you really aren't that smelly! I was under the influence of Gordon, but I do take responsibility too, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Gordon?" Whiff said aloud as Molly shyly blushed.

"It's a long story. We are still friends, right? I mean, uh, I can repeat sorry more if you want."

The two engines looked at each other and grinned at Philip.

"Of course we're still friends!" said Whiff happily, "If anyone says I'm not smelly, they're great in my book! Or at least have a very high tolerance."

"I forgive you too," Molly added shyly, "I try not to hold grudges..."

Philip beamed.

"Great!"

From the station, Gordon whistled and started to puff away with the Express.

"Express coming through!"

"Express coming through!" Philip mimicked as Gordon began to pass the yard.

Gordon grinned at Philip and laughed.

Then Philip laughed, and soon, Molly and Whiff were laughing too.

Edward smiled as he steamed into the station, and joined in on all the four engines' laughter.

"Wait, why are we laughing? Was that really funny?"


End file.
